'Remember when' by Wallows was playing as the memorial drew to a close. It was a blur of bleary eyed people, all of whom had their own image of Renne. Some people left flowers next to Adrienne's picture at the front. Others spoke words of comfort to my mother, who had been in a dreadful state since the fire, though tried not to show it.  

    I glanced over at the pathetic excuse of a man who called himself our father. It had been over a decade since I had last seen him. The stubble on his chin was starting to grey and his wrinkles were more defined. But his eyes... they were the same icy blue they had been when he left his heavily pregnant wife and 7 year old daughter. He wasn't there to watch us grow up. And yet he still has the audacity to show up at Renne's memorial 14 years later. I can feel anger seething through my veins like lava, making my blood boil. 

    He'd bought his precious son with him. The boy - Kalon Taryn, I think his name was - looked like a younger, gender-bent version of his mother, who's maiden name he took. He had dark brown, almost black hair and freckles littered his ghostly pale skin. He was fairly skinny but you couldn't see it through the oversized Guns and Roses shirt and cargo pants he was wearing. The only thing about him that wasn't like his mother were his eyes. They were a striking blue like his fathers. But unlike his fathers, they had a slight warmth about them, though the soul looked like it had been partially sucked out of them.  

    He was born a year after Adrienne and had gone to the same primary, and, shockingly, they were quite good friends. He was a sweet enough kid, a bit quiet, but Renne thought he was great. Adrienne, Kalon and another girl, Irene Varsha, were quite the trio. Irene was usually such a bubbly character, her cheeks rosy and bright with life, her eyes practically glowing when she smiled, which she did a lot. Her straight, light-caramel brown hair was cut into a short bob which framed her rounded face nicely. She was the oldest out of the three of them, beating Adrienne by just a day, but she looked the youngest. Irene was sitting on the other side of Kalon, her eyes rubbed raw and her nose running, her usual energy and bubbliness dulled in its entirety. She was staring at the picture of Adrienne, her eyes glazed over. 

    I turned back to the front and my eyes were immediately drawn to the pile of flowers, which had grown quite large. There were assortments of lilies, tulips and all sorts of others. But the bouquet that stood out to me was the large collection of roses, right in the centre. Her favourite. My breath caught in my throat. There were the classic red roses, but then the bouquet transitioned into orange and yellow ones, all the way to deep, violet ones. My eyes lingered for a moment longer as a memory of her with a yellow rose braided into her hair played across my mind.  

    I said moment, but when I looked away, there were only a few people left. Irene, my mother, the memorial arrangers and Fumiko, who was still sitting next to me, clutching my hand. I then remembered that I had to tell her something. I jumped up, a grin on my face that she didn't catch. She jumped but caught herself before falling off her chair. I gave her a look and she nodded, looking worried. We both stood up and walked away from the others. Once we had turned the corner, my eyes landed on a nearby bench so we picked up the pace.  

    We sat in silence for a brief moment as, I tried to collect my thoughts. I wasn't sure what to say or how to say it, so I said the first thing that came to mind. 

  "I think she might be alive." 

   Miko looked startled for a moment. Her eyes, which had been anxiously wandering around the area, fixated on mine. I looked away and fixed my gaze onto the plaid pattern on my trousers. 

"I- please do elaborate-" she had muttered, barely over a whisper. 

Her voice had taken on a posh, British accent, as it does when she's worried or intrigued. 

  "Well... think about it... on the night of the fire, it took the fire department 45 minutes to get there, which is unacceptable for most things, so the house had already burnt entirely to the ground. I had tried to put the fire out myself while you ran to the neighbours to call, but not once did I hear Renne screaming, which I suppose is for the best for I would never have unheard it, but she may as well never have been in the house. I had heard the door opening, so I assumed it was her, but it could've been ma..." I looked up from my lap, where my eyes had been burning holes into my trousers, "but then again I could be wrong, we were in a frenzy after all... it was just a thought..." 

    Miko's gaze softened as she looked off, trying to formulate a response.  

  "I mean... you could be right... I was thinking the same, so I told Dr. Morana... she said I was just grieving... and I half-believe her..." 

Dr. Lily Morana was Miko's councillor. Miko trusted practically everything she'd ever said, which I don't blame her for, seeing as Lily is the only adult Fumiko can depend on, other than ma.  

"But um..." she coughed, "There was some other... evidence... backing your thoughts... erm... well a burning body would make a rather... pungent smell, but no such smell was present at the scene... and bone can't burn down completely... so they would've found remains quite easily... though they haven't... yet..." 

I looked at her and grinned.  

  "So you agree with me?" 

  "Of course I do! I'm not stupid... I know how bones work... although, it's probably best we don't tell your mother... we wouldn't want to give her false hope... or anyone for the matter..." 

  "Right, of course. You're right... so- I had something I was meaning to ask you... You, Fumiko Aoki, are the best girlfriend I could ever ask for..." she was turning a slight shade of red and looked intensely mortified when I knelt before her and held something behind my back, "Will you make me the happiest woman alive and... help me investigate my sisters disappearance?" 

    I pulled out the yellow folder I had labelled CASE FILE in bright red sharpie from behind my back and showed it to her with a flourish. She let out the most relieved sigh I have ever heard and the blush on her face was instantly replaced with her adorable grin. 

"You terrified me! Honestly, yes! I thought it was obvious!" 

  "I'm helping too." 

    A young, boyish voice came from behind a tree that was next to the bench we were stationed on.  

  "Kalon!" I exclaimed, "You- you cheeky rascal! Eavesdropping on our conversation like that! Goodness no- how much did you hear?" 

  "Enough to know that my best friend could be alive... I want to help." 

    I looked at Fumiko for support. 

  "I mean- think about it Bella... he could be of use to us-" 

  "You're siding with the traitors son?!"  

    I hadn't meant to snap... I really hadn't... but the damage was done. Fumiko flung her arms around herself defensively and pushed herself to the other side of the bench. I wasn't going to hurt her. She would just instinctively close up when it came to loud noises... because of her parents. I immediately felt terrible 

  "Miko... I- I'm sorry... I didn't mean to snap-" 

    She looked up, warily. 

  "It- It's ok- don't be sorry!"  

    She tried a smile but she was clearly faking it. 

  "Alright... you can help," I looked over at Kalon, "But you don't tell anyone else, you hear?" 

  "Alright then, so what are we calling this little... detective group of ours?" 

    He smiled which, to my dismay, was awfully contagious. 

  "I don't know..." 

  "Might I propose..." Fumiko muttered meekly, " 'Renne's Investigatory Disappearance Detectives'... RIDD for short... so if we were to send a message or say it on call... it wouldn't be suspicious..." 

  "Fumiko, you really are a brick!" Kalon grinned, earning a look from me, "Sorry... Renne convinced me to watch Malory Towers..." 

  "Well, the name could do with a little shaping but... it'll do for now, I suppose. rid it is..." 

    Fumiko laughed and I couldn't stifle a smile. 

"Anyway... must be off... father will wonder where I ran off to... good day to you ladies..." He tipped his modified newsboy cap at us before turning on his heel and walking off back in the general direction of the memorial. 

  "He had odd eyes..." Miko muttered. 

I looked at her inquisitorially. 

  "One was a deeper blue than the other..." 

I smiled. 

  "We could use your observance for the investigation now, can't we, Detective Aoki!"  

I tipped my imaginary hat at her which earned me a pinecone flying right past my left ear.